On October 1, 2024 (Asoj 15, 2081), Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI), in collaboration with Paul Watkiss Associates (PWA)-UK, hosted a successful networking dinner event at Hotel Vivanta, Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur. The event was a part of the ongoing project “ECONOGENESIS-Understanding the gender, equality, and social inclusion implications of the economics of climate change and adaptation”. The project is funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada as part of the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program (CLARE).  The objective of the ECONOGENESIS research project is to provide a new analysis of the economics of climate change, the costs of adaptation, and bankable adaptation finance projects, including new knowledge on gender, equality, and social inclusion (GESI) effects.

The event brought together a diverse group of over 42 stakeholders and experts, including policymakers, researchers, and representatives from various sectors, to discuss the economics of climate change and adaptation

The event commenced with welcome remarks and an introduction of the research project by Dr. Divas Bahadur Basnyat, Water and Climate Program Lead at NDRI, followed by a presentation by Paul Watkiss on the ECONOGENESIS project. Watkiss outlined the project’s goal of addressing gaps in understanding the economic costs of climate change and its impacts on different genders and social groups. The project aims to assess the costs and benefits of adaptation efforts in Nepal, Rwanda and Tanzania while emphasizing the importance of GESI in adaptation financing.
 

Following the presentation, participants were invited to vote on the overall research questions of the ECONOGENESIS project to ensure they aligned with stakeholder priorities. The highest-priority question focused on the costs and benefits of adaptation and the need for gender-specific approaches. Attendees also suggested exploring topics such as incentivizing private sector investment in adaptation, building on national climate surveys, and incorporating informal financing in rural economies.

Floods, landslides, and extreme heat were voted as the top climate hazards to be addressed in the research, while agriculture, food security, and water-induced disasters were identified as priority sectors for assessing the economic costs of climate change and adaptation.

Participants highlighted GESI as a critical component to be considered in the research, emphasizing the need to address income distribution, geographical variation, and direct and indirect economic impacts. There was a consensus that research findings should be released ahead of key national and international decision-making events, such as the national fiscal budget and Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings. Several organizations expressed interest in collaborating on the case studies.

The networking dinner served as a platform for fostering collaboration, ensuring the research aligns with national and sectoral priorities, and that its findings will be timely and impactful in addressing the economic challenges posed by climate change effectively and equitably.